Second Chance
by BB-Hodgela-slaudia-forever
Summary: this is in memoriam of baby Zacchara-Corinthos. How things should've been between Clauson. Pure Fluff!


She felt as big as a house, but more importantly she felt exhausted. Sonny's late night business calls to Puerto Rico had been keeping her up even if she didn't admit it to Sonny because she didn't feel the need to do so. After a whispered hello to the two guards at the door, she walked into the living room and sat on the couch, completely spent; she almost missed the fact that there were two bags sitting on the floor. She didn't understand where he had to go especially so soon to their child's birth.

"Sonny!" She screamed so he could hear her.

The thuds she heard coming towards her, showed her that he in fact did hear her shriek. He wasn't used to her screaming for him in such a tone that he had an actual worried look on his face. After catching his breath from running down the multitude of stairs, he spoke.

"Are you okay? What's wrong? Is it the baby?"

He was on his hands and knees in a matter of seconds, one hand covering her abdomen. She self consciously placed her hand on top of his, she felt him jump when their son kicked inside of her; forcing her to let out a small laugh. She finally remembered why she had called him to her and her eyes narrowed in on the two suitcases.

"Where are you going? Because you certainly didn't tell me to pack a bag." She said, her hormones flaring a bit.

He looked at her apologetically.

"I have to go to Puerto Rico to sort out some of the business issues we're having. I don't want to, but they don't take Jason seriously for whatever reason. God, I'm so sorry."

He rested his head on her belly as she ran her hand through his hair.

"Sonny, it's okay. This marriage was for _business_ purposes, I understand that you need to take care of our business." She emphasized the "our".

"Boss, your cab is here." Max said before walking away.

Claudia knew there were tears in her eyes, she could feel them. She was okay with him leaving, but she wasn't ready for him to leave at that exact second. He kissed her forehead. He felt horrible about leaving her, especially when she was so ready to pop.

"Can I at least walk you out?" She said, showing him her puppy dog eyes.

"If you can get up." He challenged.

She struggled for the longest time, her stomach didn't let her move upwards and she could not get up. She knew Sonny would leave her sitting there, but she wanted to walk him out and say goodbye at his cab. Finally after many moments of struggling, a whimper was let out through her lips and his hand was there instantly ready to help her up. She smiled and took his help. He didn't let go of her hand until they hit the end of the driveway.

"I'm going to be back tomorrow if possible, okay? I'll call you tonight. It's a one day thing, promise."

"Just be safe, please. I can't do this," she motioned towards her stomach, "Without you."

He kissed her gently on the lips, lingering there. He then knelt down so that his eyes were on level with her mid-section.

"You stay inside of momma till I get back, no coming when daddy's not here, son. I love you."

He placed a gentle kiss on her stomach.

"I'll be home soon, promise."

And with that he was gone, the cab whisking him away from her. Her hand stayed where he had once had his lips; where their child grew. She made her way back into their home to make herself dinner and wait for him to call her.

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She woke up from a terrible dream to hear voices outside of the study doors. She walked over and pressed her ear up to the door. She checked her phone, looking to see if she had missed a call from Sonny. There were missed calls. She soon realized that Bernie was talking to Max and Milo. As soon as she heard Sonny's name mentioned she opened the study doors.

"Bernie! Have you heard from Sonny? Because he promised to call me tonight and he hasn't yet." She said slightly annoyed.

"Umm…..erm….."

Bernie didn't know how to tell her, especially with the delicateness of her pregnancy. The last thing Mr. Corinthos needed to his wife to go into labor and him not be there. Sonny had the chance to be completely involved in this pregnancy and Bernie was not going to allow him to miss the most important part.

"Max, Milo, what's wrong with Sonny? You know not telling me will get me even more upset than actually telling me. I'm not supposed to get upset so just tell me. What happened?" She was on the verge of tears.

"_Damn hormones." _She thought to herself.

"Well, the meeting went well until the very end, where the guy shot Mr. C." Milo broke to her as easily as possible.

Her hand immediately went to her abdomen, feeling the movement of her child reminded her to try and stay calm if not for herself then for her so.

"What's his condition?"

"Critical, they're performing surgery right now." Bernie explained.

Claudia's mind went into over drive, thinking of any and all ways to get to her husband.

"Max call the pilot of the other jet, tell him to fuel up and be ready in umm say thirty minutes. Get the car ready and pack your bags. I'm going to pack mine and then we're going to Puerto Rico."

Max and Milo scattered, but Bernie stood there and grabbed Claudia's wrist as she tried to go to the stairs.

"Mr. Corinthos would not want you there in your delicate position."

"I'm pregnant, Bernie, not crippled. I am also not Carly and I'll be damned if I'm a thing like Kate. I am capable of taking care of myself and Max and Milo are trusted guards. I need to be with my husband, now if you'll excuse me."

She jarred her wrist away from Bernie and went to go pack. She packed any thing and everything she could possibly need before getting Max up to her room to take it downstairs for her. They packed away all their things and then went to the car. In a matter of minutes they were in the air.

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The hospital was small when the cab pulled up to it, Claudia was the first one out, she ran as fast as she could manage, but the guards still caught up with her. Max gently grabbed her arm and halted all front wards motion.

"What the hell Max?" She yelled.

Her need to see him was over-powering everything else. She knew that the guards could not understand, but he was her son's father, he was her husband, and she'd be damned if they would not permit her to see him.

"Me and Milo don't think Mr. C would want you to see him like this."

"He's my husband, Max. I took the vowels: "for better or for _worse_, in _sickness_ and in health," I'm not going to let him go through this alone. So you can either come with me and guard me like you're supposed to or you can stand there and let me be in danger."

The guards got on each side of her. They looked worried as she stopped because of what she thought was a Braxton hicks contraction. Somewhat of a yelp left her lips before she could even think of containing it. When the "contraction" was over she looked at the guards worried faces and smiled.

"It's okay boys, it's a Braxton hicks contraction, not a real one. Lets go."

They kept walking but when she looked at the guards' faces they looked worried. When they got into the hospital, Max and Milo started going toward the maternity ward.

"Where the hell are you two going?"

"We think you should see a doctor."

"I am going to see my husband, you two can go look at all the pretty pictures on the walls."

With that she stormed off into the recovery ward. The two brothers looked at each other before running after her. They watched as Claudia went to the desk and then walked down a corridor. The guards found her outside a room, looking through the window. Her hand was pressed up against the glass, tears streaking her face. The guards decided to give her some space. But then the doctor decided to come and talk to her.

"Are you Mrs. Corinthos?" He had a heavy Spanish accent.

"Yes. Can you tell me what's going on with my husband?" She asked the doctor.

"Well he was fine until surgery. Either he'll wake up and be completely fine or not wake up at all."

"Can I go sit with him?"

"Go ahead."

At that the doctor turned around and left her alone, standing at his door. Max and Milo walked closer to her as if they were going to follow her into the room. She turned around quickly and stuck her hand out.

"You two stay here."

"But Mrs. C-" Max said in protest before she interrupted him.

"It's just a hospital room, you can stand right by the door, okay?"

Both guards nodded and watched as she walked into the room, she closed the door lightly behind her. One hand clutched her abdomen as she saw her husband. He didn't look horrible but he was pale and she had never seen him like this. She took a seat on his bed, close to him, her tears falling freely, she grabbed his one hand and placed it on a spot that she felt their son's kicks.

"You promised you'd be safe, promised you'd come home tomorrow. You promised to there for his birth. I need you there, in that room with me, to help me. I can't…I can't do this without you. This little boy…our little boy needs his daddy, he needs you. I _need_ you." She sobbed.

His hand that she had placed on her abdomen, started to move and she looked at his face. His eyes were open and on her, while his hand stroked her stomach where their child grew.

"I guess I don't have to worry about you ordering this hit." He joked.

"Never." She cried out.

He looked at the bed, it seemed to be larger than the ones at GH, so he moved over and patted the space he had created.

"Come here, it's gonna be okay."

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. He didn't know if the doctors were giving him a whole bunch of pain meds, but he felt no pain. Or maybe it was just the fact that he was with his wife. He felt her stiffen beneath him, and she started to hyperventilate. He sat up when she sat up.

"Claudia….are you having contractions."

She shook her head, before concentrating more on overcoming the pain.

"It's those Braxton hicks contractions, I've been getting them ever since you left."

He brushed a strand of stray hair away from her face and kissed her cheek. She leaned back on him, his hands and her hands both rested on their child's current growth spot.

"Think Max and Milo could get me out of here?"

"I think they could probably try, after a doctor examines you."

He made her face him.

"I am fine, I just want to get you home, so that you can rest and not be so stressed."

"I will be stressed if you don't get checked out by a doctor."

"So that's how you got Max and Milo to bring you down here. You said you would get stressed out if they didn't bring you to me."

"It worked didn't it?" She smiled at him.

"That's true. By any chance did you bring me some clothes?"

She nodded and got off the bed, grabbing a little duffle bag sitting by the door. She tossed it on the bed and watched as he got off the bed. He wasn't even hooked up to any machines or IVs to worry about. She helped him get dressed and then they walked out of the room hand in hand. Max and Milo looked surprised to see their boss up and about but he felt fine. So Sonny checked himself out of the hospital and they boarded the private jet. Max and Milo decided to stay close to the pilot while Claudia and Sonny went to lounge behind the curtain. Claudia let out an involuntary yelp when she felt some more pain from a Braxton hicks contraction.

"Claudia." He called out, he was at her side in a second.

It took her a few moments, but soon the pain subsided.

"We're okay. I just don't get why they won't stop."

"How long have you had them for?"

Her eyes averted to the floor.

"Since you left. I thought they were nothing. I mean we still have a month until my due date, he's not supposed to be coming yet."

He saw the fear in his wife's eyes. He started making small circles on her back, trying to comfort her. He wasn't a doctor and he knew the jet could not land anywhere other than Port Charles and his private island, they still had about two hours left in the flight.

"Sonny, talk to me. He's going to be okay, right?"

"I don't know. Why don't we get you to the couch and have you lie down."

He grabbed her hand and started to pull her towards the couch, but she pulled away and shook her head.

"Not until you tell-ouch!"

Her legs collapsed underneath her and soon she was in the ground, he knew this wasn't good.

"It's another contraction. Oh God, Sonny. He's too early. You need to call Dr. Lee." She commanded.

"I will as soon as I get you to the couch, come on."

He helped her off the floor and laid her down on the couch, helping her relax. He pulled out his phone when the pilot allowed it and called Dr. Lee, whom he had on speed dial. Before the call was even connected another contraction ripped through Claudia as she grabbed Sonny's hand and squeezed.

"Dr. Lee, this is Sonny Corinthos…I think she's in labor…we're on my private jet flying back from Puerto Rico….Umm early this morning, she thought it was the Braxton hicks contractions you warned her about…They're about thirty seconds long, and they're coming every eight or so minutes…..I think we have about an hour left of the flight…An ambulance will be waiting?…Good. Thank you Dr. Lee."

He hung up his phone and locked eyes with his wife.

"What did she say?" Her bottom lip was quivering.

"She said that he looked fine at your last appointment, she doesn't want you to have him tonight, but she doesn't think we have any other option. So she's sending an ambulance to wait for us at the docking station."

"We're going meet our little boy tonight?" Her eyes were filled with complete amazement.

He kissed her hand.

"Yeah, we are."

Groans of pain filled the air as Claudia was hit by the contractions that were bringing her closer to meeting her little boy.

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The ambulance was there waiting just like Dr. Lee had promised. The EMTs were ordered to take Claudia immediately to the labor and delivery without stopping at the ER to check her in, which would've happened if the chief of staff had not been present in the ER.

"Hey where do you think you're taking her?" Steve asked.

"We have orders to take her straight to labor and delivery." An EMT answered.

"Steve, please. She needs to see Dr. Lee, her water broke."

"Get her into a room and call Dr. Lee down here." Steve commanded a nurse.

Soon Claudia was in a hospital bed, hooked up to the machines. It hook almost a half an hour for Dr. Lee to make it to Claudia's room.

"Dr. Lee, thank God….you're here." Claudia managed to get out through a contraction.

"You seem to be in pretty heavy labor, I'm going to check and see how far you're dilated."

Claudia squeezed Sonny's hand, locking their eyes. He knew she was scared and he was too. Their son was still a month early and they didn't know what kind of problems they would be faced with.

"Okay Claudia, you're fully dilated and on your next contraction I need you to push."

Claudia nodded and on her next contraction she started to push. She didn't know what was happening. She knew Sonny was beside her, but that was the extent of her knowledge. After three or four pushes, Kelly told her that she only had one more push.

"I can't do it." She groaned.

"You have to, Claudia. Just one more push and we get to meet our son; our little boy. I know you're tired and this is hard, but you have to do it." Sonny whispered in her ear.

The contraction overtook her and she bore down one more time before small baby cries filled the air. Kelly took the baby away before Claudia could even see him. She looked at her husband, fear burning in her eyes.

"He's going to be okay, promise. Everything's going to be okay."

Moments passed and finally Kelly brought over a brand new baby boy, who was the perfect mix of both his parents. The doctor laid the swaddled baby in his mother's arms. Both parents looked up to Dr. Lee for reassurance.

"Is he okay?" Claudia asked.

Kelly smiled.

"He's perfectly fine. A nurse will come in the room in a little to see if you guys have a name for him."

"Thank you Dr. Lee." Sonny called out as she left.

Claudia felt slightly out of her comfort zone as she held her tiny son in her arms, but she would not have traded the moment for the world. Her left hand ran down his cheek, feeling his soft baby skin. She couldn't believe how perfect he was. Claudia didn't want to take her eyes off of him.

"Have you thought of any names?" Sonny asked, bringing her back to reality.

"I thought we'd have another month, but you didn't want to wait did you baby boy." She smiled. "Have you thought of any?"

"I think his name should start with an "M" so that he doesn't feel out of place with his brothers."

"What about Marco?" She suggested.

"Marco Jonathan Corinthos? Sounds good to me."

Her eyes teared up slightly.

"Is that your name little boy? Marco Jonathan Corinthos?"

The baby let out a slight gurgle.

"I think he likes it." Sonny smiled.

**5 Years Later:**

He was only five. He couldn't remember most of the years he had lived. He couldn't read or write. And sometimes he carried around his old blanket and wanted the old pacifier he used to use as a little baby. But he was perfect to his parents, in every single way. There had never been a day where his mother had not told him how much she loved him and she had never spent more than a few hours away from him. That was all going to change today because today was Marco's first day of school. Claudia wasn't sure who was more nervous, her or Sonny.

"Marco, are you okay, baby boy?"

She looked back at her son from the passenger seat.

"Yes mommy. Daddy how much longer is it gonna take?"

"Only a few more minutes, bub." Sonny answered.

Sonny rubbed his hand along Claudia's thigh, trying to comfort her. He knew how distressed she was because of this day. He knew it was going to be hard for both of them. When he parked the car, they all unloaded, Marco walked in between them, holding each of their hands. When they made it to the classroom, Marco let go of their hands and into the classroom, not even turning back to say goodbye.

"Claudia, come on. He's okay."

"But I'm not okay. He's my little boy."

Sonny pulled her along and took her to the park they usually brought Marco. Each parent sat on a swing.

"He wouldn't want you to be sad." Sonny pointed out.

"I know, I just remember the day he was born so vividly. I mean, I just can't believe it was five years ago."

"But it was, this is what happens. Our kids grow up, but you'll always have me."

Her head snapped toward him.

"Promise?"

He grabbed her hand, pulling their swings closer together.

"Of course."

"Sonny…?"

"Yeah?"

"I want another baby."

She averted her eyes to the ground, unsure of what he would say.

"We should probably go home, then."

The sexy glint sparked in her eyes as he pulled her back toward the car so that they could go home.

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This was in memoriam of their baby that didn't have a chance to make it into this world. I felt as if I needed to do something to honor their little boy so I wrote this. I hope you enjoyed this!


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